Fulgeance and running mate Debruit have been making moves on both Lab sites, moving units in both vinyl and MP3s. Their sound, which is throwback and utterly modern at the same time, is hitting the brain nerve of Lab heads. We got a chance to catch up with Parisian Fulgeance while he’s touring Japan and working on his label Musique Large.
first off, what the hell is a “fulgeance”?
Ahh, I see that everybody is intrigued by this. So it’s a real name. Old fashion french name. The mosy important one was Fulgeance Bienvenue, who created the Parisian Underground. So, Rekick, from Musique Large called me like this first like a bad nick name, because it’s ugly name right!? and then I kept it as my nickname because all my homies used it…why Rekick choose this one, it’s a too long and uninteresting story, I just can tell you that it comes from a huge after party, and we had a lot of laugh with it…
tell us about your early beatmaking years. how did you start? what kind of equipment did you use? how did you get the equipment?
I start as bass player, then dj, then I fell in Love with the MPC2000! Because it’s such a intuitiveinstrument…like drums…after that you have to know it, and control it. But I started producing beats on MPC, and then on computer, because it’s finally simpler, and I really wanted to produce more the sounds, use keyboards, grow up in melodies and harmonies.. All my equipement was and still oldschool, old mpc, old pc…I’m a nerd-geek, but not high tech one!
what kind of equipment do you use now?
I use MPC2000, old PC computer at home and laptop with MPD 32. As software I use Soundforge, Cubase, most of all Reason and sometimes I use Ableton Live.
It seems like a super-interesting time in France for underground music, especially new beats. can you describe the current scene?
Yeah, it’s changing, I agree, but it took a long time you know. And rocky overcompressed electro shits, techno and 4/4 music was the only one club and dancing music. But now, funk, hip hop and music with a soul interests more the people. I know that Pedro Winter (Busy P) likes the Musique Large stuff, and more beats like Hudson Mo or Rustie… But it still underground, and thats what we want, danceable, open minded, but always in the creative way.
who are some other French artists that we should be looking out for?
In France: Débruit, Powell, Lilea Narrative, YoggyOne, Zo, all the Eklektik Records and forthcoming Musique Large productions like Baron Retif & Conception Perez (out soon on Musique Large) and in other styles, Gablé, Marvin, Wine, Komori, Seep, and many more.
I here some goth, industrial, darkwave tones in the Smartbanging EP. what inspired that recording?
I think, the samples. But with Alex Chase from One Handed Music, we decided to go into adifferent Fulgeance stuff. So I get more inspired about dark synths & percussions, but I think you still feel my way to work and do music, and by the way, today, I’m really inspired about 80ies music, analog soundtracks and libraries.
On the other hand, the recent Souleance release (Le Plaisir / Chemise) seems to be based on old records… what kind of records do you search out? how is the record scene over there?
Yes, SOuleance is me & SOulist, and it was first a re edit project, and then because me and Soulist had the same feelings in funk and soul music, we went forward into real boom bap-funky-break tracks, because we both come from black music, and it’s my first inspiration. About crate digging, I was really into rare grooves, funk and afro black american music, but today, as I said, I serach more into 80ies libraries and analog music band like Zodiac, Argo or italian music soundtrack…I even learned with a friend from Russia, how to know what is the firt press of the record, to do not buy a bad quality one.
In France, and I think everywhere, records, as new release, are less and less important, but it still a good object, a good promoion tool, and it’s a shame, even if I understand and use Serato, download mp3s, but we should tell to all music listenners and kids that vinyl is the best quality sound material ever ! But, yes, digial is easier in all the way. But I wanna thank all the “resisitance” and fanatic in real records djing, because we continue to press record with Musique Large, Eklektik & First Word, and that’s for you. And I think vinyl will always exist.
What are some of your favorite unexpected record finds?
That “Argo – Discophonia”, amazing band from Lithuania. It sounds so good, and it’s a cheap one, not so famous, but not easy to find the good “first press” one. I found it in Moscow. And Zodiac too, crazy russian synth rock disco band (that Dabrye sampled in Two/Three). When you start to listen to this, you realize that there is many connections between musicians, and so you go thru another band from him, reading the sleeve, etc…That’s what you can’t do with digital, even if blogs, stores and release sheets give you informations, with the record, you know the story, you know who is behind, and I really appreciate that.
For those who have not seen you live, what kind of music do you play when you dj? What DJs have influenced the way you DJ?
About djs who influenced me, it’s so big…but first names coming out are Larry Levan, Rob Swift, Dj Falcon, Jess & Crabbe, Herbert, Ark, Kon & Amir, the Mondayjazz guys called Justas Fresh & Tadas Quazar, Dee Nasty, Manu Boubli…and more, sorry but it’s too huge question…eheh! But when I dj, I always try to fit the crowd, so I’m quite open minded but always try to mix into something I want to play for me and for them. So, t’s all about funk, gooves, black music, and electronic musics combined to make dance or chill depending of the place. I always try to include new beats, exclusive music I got from new producers, and it works, and people like that. But my experience as dj is not so big, so I just make it my way, for them and for me. In live show or dj set, the most important is that you feel something, you give something and you “play” with it, you enjoy it and you really offer your music to people.That’s the shieeet*
What were you like in high school?
Music lover, so finally, a bit nerd & geek, but who love a little fashion and style…so not so easy to describe. But a foolish guy, definitely. I love humour and sarcastic second degree.
Your 5 favorite DJ records
Romanthony – Bring U Up
Herbie Hancock – Chameleon
Thomas Bangalter – Club Soda
Robot Koch feat CV – Vortex Cookies (FLAKO Instrumental Remix)
Your 5 favorite non-DJ records
Roy Ayers – Everybody Loves The Sunshine
Vosotros presents the Years
Tortoise – Gigantes
Gablé – First Lady
Horace Silver – Song for My Father
Your 5 favorite spots to eat
I’m a big food lover, that’s crazy
KOROMOYA – Kanazawa – Japan
CHEZ PAUL – Paris – France
LA COURTINE – Caen – France
LE TIRE BOUCHON – Athens – Greece
LA MAISON – Trouville – France
Things you like to do, non-musical
COOKING
VIDEO GAMES, especially Zombie one !
SHOPPING
SWIMMING
HUGGIN MY CAT
Word on the street is that you like asian girls, true?
???WTF ?? Heheheh, I think everybody likes asian girls, so I will say yes; as I’m in Japan right now answering to that crazy question. They are beautiful in the simple way. But I prefer my girlfriend*
CHECK OUT FULGEANCE’s DIGITAL CHART
CHECK OUT MUSIQUE LARGE RELEASES
